Nda-Isaiah 'massive fish' out of media ocean, says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday said with the death of Publisher of Leadership Newspapers, Sam Nda-Isaiah, a “massive fish” had gone out of the “media ocean.”

President Buhari, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, voiced shock and sadness at the demise of a man he described as “a friend and ally.”

The President, who commiserated with the media fraternity, the Nda-Isaiah family, friends and associates of the deceased, said “the country has lost a man of conviction, a resolute and dogged believer in a better Nigeria.”

“He will be sorely missed. This is a massive fish gone out of the media ocean,” President Buhari further said of the pharmacist, renowned columnist, and one time presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, has called Nda-Isaiah’s death “shocking and painful”.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi on Saturday, he described Nda-Isaiah’s passing as a loss to the Nigerian media industry as it has lost one of its committed pillars.

According to him, his death came at a time that the services of the media are needed most to promote unity among Nigerians as well as the development and growth of the country.

The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom said the late Nda-Isaiah was a true patriot who, though a pharmacist by training, made indelible contributions to the growth of the media industry and offered jobs to hundreds of Nigerians through his companies.

Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola and the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi on Saturday mourned the Chairman and Publisher of Leadership Newspapers, Sam Nda-Isaiah.

Oyetola’s spokesman, Ismail Omipidan, said the governor joined family members, the Leadership family, friends, and the media industry in Nigeria to mourn the Nda-Isaiah.

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, has received with shock the news of the death of the Chieftain of the APC and publisher of the Leadership newspapers Chief Sam Nda-Isaiah.

“I on behalf of the government and people of Nasarawa state condole with the family members of the deceased, the staff and management of the Leadership Group as well as friends and associates of the late NDA-Isaiah.”

Similarly, the Senator representing Nasarawa South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, has described the death of Leadership Newspapers publisher, Sam Nda-Isaiah, as a monumental lost to the media and the nation at large.

“The North has lost one of its golden voices and founder of a leading publishing company, the owners of Leadership Newspapers” he said.

Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have expressed sadness over the death of a former presidential aspirant on the party’s platform, Samuel Nda-Isaiah, describing it as a huge lost to the nation.

A statement by Kebbi state governor and Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), Senator Atiku Bagudu, said, “We join the family, members of the APC in Niger State and the nation, to pray for the repose of the soul of our dear and beloved Chairman of Leadership Newspapers Group and former presidential aspirant on the platform of our party, APC.”

“His death is a loss to the nation, the Nigerian progressive community and the global media world.”

Nda-Isaiah ‘massive fish’ out of media ocean, says Buhari